Wet St George.

Three weeks into our trip we really imagined we’d be in shorts & thongs - but this unseasonal weather sees us still in boots and coats!! And we’ve certainly had rain! Here in St George, we’ve had 178mm since Monday so just as well we aren’t on dirt tracks! This park has actually coped very well with the rain and our vans have kept us warm and dry! 

We left Goodooga and crossed into Queensland at Hebel where we saw another iconic pub. It was too early for a drink so we enjoyed a coffee & sausage roll from the local store. The road between Hebel and Dirranbandi had recently opened after some flooding, which was still evident in low lying areas. I’d say this road would be closed again after the rains. We checked into this park and have been quite comfortable, even if it is a far cry from sitting around our campfire in some remote location! This town has a lovely river frontage which is very well maintained and would be very popular in summer.

The red marker shows flood levels - the highest being in 2012. It’s hard to imagine the water being that high. The town is now protected by levee banks - both earth and brick walls. 

Tops’s birthday this year was celebrated in the Nindigully Pub, which claims to be the oldest pub in Queensland. This was a spot I’d earmarked for camping but just as well we didn’t try that, as it was rather muddy! 

We are sure in cotton country now and we enjoyed a cotton tour which although was hampered by the weather, (we couldn’t get into the farms to see picking in action) we did learn lots from the accompanying farmer and saw up close some of the high tech machinery used. The harvested cotton bales are prolific in the paddocks. 

There were even some old tractors for Dennis to admire! Our tour ended at the local winery where we were spoilt with a yummy lunch and wine tasting. The tour filled in our wet day perfectly, then we finished off the day with a meal at one of the local pubs and warmed ourselves by the wood fire. 

We are still poring over maps to determine where to go to next - some places I’ve picked out are underwater! No doubt we’ll find somewhere! We hope all our sick chicks at home are soon feeling better - we four are keeping very healthy (touch wood). As I write this, the sun is peeping out, the rain appears to have gone and Darryl has even donned shorts & thongs! 

We send our love to everyone,

❌❌❌❌